For those of us who haven't majored in Japanese history..

Current Sounds: Ayaka - Why

I've gotten the questions several times regarding where I'll be in Japan, so I figured I'd make up a quick map showing roughly what part I'll be in. I'm not sure if my answers have ever made a whole lot of sense, so hopefully this will clear things up a bit.

Basically: I'll be in Shuunan-shi (Shuunan city), which is in Yamaguchi-ken ( "-prefecture), which is on the island of Honshuu (main island) in Japan.

Japan>Honshuu>Yamaguchi Pref.>Shuunan City

Now, I just need my visa..

Anyway, here's the map!

Where is Shuunan?
Jason on 04.30.08 @ 08:24 PM MST [link] [comment]

Picture!

For some reason, my journal totall broke when I tried to post the picture. Looks like it's working now, so here's me.. in class!


{{Photo2.jpg Photo2 480x640}}Me!
Jason on 04.29.08 @ 09:51 AM MST [link] [1 comment]

[In class] Presentation day!

Current Sounds: Listening to presentations

I'm in class right now, on my laptop, listening to people give their presentations. I just finished mine, so all's well. Listening to there presentations (15 total) is never a whole lot of fun. Blah.

Within roughly two weeks, all my classes will be done and I'll be running along towards graduation. I still don't have my visa to go to Japan, but that should (ideally) be on its way relatively soon. Or so I hope. As far as life stuff goes, not a whole lot of exciting things going on. Just class, work, studying, repeat. Got my hair cut the other day, going to play pool this afternoon (which I've been playing alot of as of late). It really is fun to play, so I like being able to spend time with people I won't see for awhile before I go.

Anyway, I should pay attention to the lectures, so I'll get going. Just figured I'd update. Yeah!

And because I'm bored, I attached a picture of me.. right now.. in class! Shhhh... don't tell anyone!
Jason on 04.29.08 @ 09:35 AM MST [link] [comment]

What, exactly, is this?

Current Sounds: Transformers - Autobot/Decepticon Battle


Creepy Language Book

Figured I'd share an image from my homework with you. This image is from a Japanese language workbook on learning Ainu (basically, I had to read the first chapter of a workbook in Japanese about learning Ainu). This picture is from conversation one. There's something about this picture that just seems.. creepy. Does that woman on the right eat children? Is she hiding bodies in her basement? She just LOOKS weird.

And these are the things I think about late at night, because clearly, I have nothing else better to do. I'll get started on this assignment in the morning.. I just figured I'd share this odd little image with the world because.. well.. I can.

(for anyone who's curious, I provided a translation of the conversation from JPN --> ENG under "more..". Why didn't I include it here? Didn't want to ruin the sheer awesomeness of the scary lady right on the front page)
Jason on 04.27.08 @ 12:28 AM MST [more..] [1 comment]

Current Sounds: Dar Williams - The One Who Knows

Have I ever mentioned how much I like Scooby Doo? I'm sure most people who've known me personally and for an extended period of time have probably heard of this by now, but I don't believe I've ever mentioned here anything about my penchant for the Scooby. I suppose it's really not all that strange, nor even very interesting, but I really do like the series (shy of the live-action movies and the current iteration, but do I really need to mention that?).

I think it's something about how they take something so indescribable, something that deviates the norms of your day to day life and then somehow manage to not only fix it, but break it down into something much simpler. I think most of us can readily agree that ghosts are indeed 'not good', nor something that we have experience with and any idea about how to deal with them. But behind all that magic, mysticism, and general ghost-i-ness, we find projectors, trap floors, floating ghost costumes, and some mean old guy who just wanted to own his own gold mine. Of course, I don't have my own talking dog, but it is still somewhat reassuring to see things just work out, and be able to understand it all when it's done.

That was the random for the day. The practical stuff's a little less fun.

I learned yesterday that the IRS has absolutely no clue where my tax return went, or what's wrong with it. All they know is that they have something from me, but who ever has it hasn't done anything to process it. Considering I sent this thing in back in February, I'm a little miffed. I also learned that the department in charge of resolving this little oversight on their part can take up to 30 days to resolve it. Keep in mind that I have over thirty and less than forty days left in America. So! Somehow, all my paperwork's in limbo and there's nothing I can do about it for now. Obviously this will eventually get solved, but I may have to submit documents from across the globe, which isn't fun.

What also makes this more aggravating is that I was expecting a fair bit of money back on this, which will not sit in my bank account stateside for a year until I come back to visit. Fortunately, I'm paranoid by nature and didn't plan on having this money for my budget getting to and living in Japan (living expenses, traveling expenses, and other one-time purchases until I get paid after the first month), but that doesn't make it any less annoying. Seeing as they had my paperwork (I assume, seeing as they DID have something from me, but no return), the least they could've done was contact me...

Alas, that's just how things go, so it doesn't pay to be angry about it. I assure you, though, that the first 45 minutes after I figured it all out was full of colorful uses of the English language that'd make a swarthy pirate blush. Go me.

The semester's winding down, and I'm pretty much done with homework entirely. One more paper, one assignment this weekend, two presentations (one 5 minutes, one 10, both in English), two tests, one take home exam, and two finals. Pretty exciting, huh? Busy, busy, busy.

Alas, tomorrow I need to go out and do a formal/professional picture with my siblings. I should mention that I really, really, really dislike going out to have pictures done (there's a long story behind this) but I suppose I should go out and do it before I leave the country. For the memory of it, if nothing else.

I should get going and do something productive, though I'm not sure what yet. The highlight of my day so far has been weighing t-shirts on a little 5lb postal scale. Kinda funny how the weight of clothes suddenly becomes important when you're going to mail them across the Pacific.

Off I go..!
Jason on 04.26.08 @ 12:40 PM MST [link] [comment]

Power outages in computer labs are bad.. university-wide power outages are even worse (added to the fact that it also took out the computer lab). It's kinda interesting to see people's reactions over the first few minutes (until people reach concensus that power is indeed out). Also, when you job title is "Senior Lab Monitor" and your computer lab is no longer functioning (and thus does not need to be monitored), it's kinda hard to justify why you're getting paid to be there.

Luckily, today is the day of the picnic (for the students and faculty at the school I work at), so it didn't much matter that power was out for awhile (not really all that long, maybe 45~ minutes and then off and on for a few minutes at a time for another 2 or so hours, from what I hear). I'm attaching a picture from the picnic for those who are either interested and/or stalk me (either way). Overall, it was fun.. not much to say (seeing as I've been to 2 of these picnics in the past), but fun. Went on a scavenger hunt with two other students, then otherwise just socialized.

Now I'm back at work for a bit, just trying to mess around with some settings and setup my laptop (going to have to use it for about 3 weeks to a month until I can get my PC setup in Japan). I should install Sims 2 and some other stuff like that on it before I go, and some movies so I have something to do while traveling and getting setup.

Semi-related, I would like to say that I'm impressed with how well my university handles campus-wide problems, especially since the Virginia (right..?) technical school thing last year. They're pretty hell-bent on getting you to subscribe to a (private) list with your cell phone number and e-mail address, which is basically to contact all students in the event that something goes wrong. From what I've seen, they're pretty prompt. Usually, I don't care (like getting a message about a dorm fire at 4am.. yeah, um.. thanks?), but it's nice to get updates about the power being out, what's being done to fix it, and nice things like "please stay out of the elevators" and "CHEMICAL AND POWER FACILITIES, please shut down as safety features may be hampered without power".. yeeeeeah, scary, but nice to know. Not like anyone cares, but hey, it kinda affects my day to day life.

I do have to question, though, why wifi was still functioning when power went out across the campus. I mean, sure, it was convenient because it's the ONE day I brought my laptop, and I was bored with nothing else to do, but I'm kinda curious why it was decided to put the wireless on the emergency power lines (unless there's some other reason, but I'm in a solid, bricked building not near any other broadcasting point with a strong signal, so it had to be coming from inside the building). Hey, it's great, but I kinda have to wonder if some kid's not going to get his kidney transplant because the university hospital's power generator only had enough juice to power my wifi and not the organ-fridge. Kinda doubtful, but ironic, in a silly way.

I'm bored, apparently. That's about it for now, though, so I'll leave you be with these ramblings. And pictures of me in a park, taken 3 hours ago.


School on 04.16.08 @ 02:16 PM MST [link] [1 comment]

[At Work] Killing time

Not a whole lot to say.. just here at work, a tad on the bored side, doing those things that I do. I had two tests today, so it's been a mad rush of studying yesterday and today, but all in all I think I did all right. I also had a 10~ minute speech (debate) on Tuesday to prep for (I may or may not have mentioned this before). For anyone who's curious, I have the debate in English attached to this post (along with the Japanese one, for those of us who are Japanese-inclined) under "more.." at the end of this.

Other than that.. not much. Work, school, work, some school, and then "WHOA! It's the weekend!" so I do some more studying and/or absolutely nothing.. then I go back to the work and school thing. Ironically enough, in roughly 2 months I'll be doing the "work, work, work, and some more work" schedule.. but.. we'll see how it goes.

It's been a pretty normal, bland week. Not much in store of this weekend, other than possibly going to a festival thing. We'll see..!

Ideally, I'll have more to say when I write next. For now, I just sit here for a little longer and wonder why I forgot my iPod.. blah.
School on 04.10.08 @ 03:20 PM MST [more..] [1 comment]

DRINK WATER IN A DESERT!

Current Sounds: Within Temptation - Pale

I just need to stop and sleep for awhile. Alas, that really isn't quite so doable considering my work and school schedule. Have a speech tomorrow in Japanese, then two tests later this week, and a test to work on at home over this weekend. I got sick today, but I'm feeling better now, so I really think it was dehydration (terrible headache for about 2 hours, then sudden onset of sickness which only got worse upon drinking cold water). Remember, kids: do NOT get dehydrated. I live in a desert, and I really should know better. Unfortunately, when you work inside all day, you kinda lose track of these things.

If you do get dehydrated, sip water. And avoid cold water.. seriously. Not good.

Not like this matters or means much to many people, but hey.. figured I'd toss out some survival tips. You never know, you may come out to Arizona on a whim at total random at some point in the future and find yourself with the symptoms of dehydration and think "Wow, I'm sure glad Jason to kindly told me strategies for dealing with it". Probably not, but you really never know.

Randomness aside, I went out and bought a suit today. My very first, actually. No, I've never owned a suit before, mostly due to never needing one. I also need to buy some more dress shirts, some more ties, and new dress shoes. Not really interesting, but it's what I've been up to.

I've also gotten a travel alarm clock for while I travel and before getting setup in my new place, finalized all my travel details (namely, where I'll be staying after I leave Tokyo and spend 4 days in Nagoya), and now it's just a matter of getting in touch with various people and seeing who's available when.

I should get back to preparing for my speech tomorrow, try to get some sleep tonight and rest up so I can still look relatively alive tomorrow. Study, study, study!

OH!

Conker, if you want to e-mail me (either my Yahoo! addr. or webmaster [at] jrem [dot] net will work), I picked up a little souvenir in Korea for you.

Joe, I'm aiming to get your bit of Korea off to you THIS week. Ideally. I swear. Let me know if there's been any change in your address (though I don't imagine there is). Seriously, thanks for everything, and hopefully you'll like it (hopefully you will..! I spent 45 minutes looking for the perfect thing!).

So.. that's about it. Off I go to recite my speech 2-3 more times, then sleep. YAY SLEEP!
Jason on 04.07.08 @ 09:08 PM MST [link] [1 comment]

junbi shiteru (preparing)

Current Sounds: Hanaeryca - Make or Break

Finally went out and bought be ticket to go to Japan today. I have to say, it's really weird to say "one way" when buying an airplane ticket. It has a certain finality to it, you know? Kinda weird to not have a return date.

Basically, I have a start date for work and I need to get there about 2 days ahead of time, so it's a balancing act between giving myself some time to travel and enjoy myself and dealing with my stuff here in America and being here with people I know. After I got that kinda figured out (I should have about 8 days to travel), I need to figure out how much time I'm spending in each place. I was going to do a multi-city tour (and 2 days in each place), but that didn't exactly pan out due to not being able to get the right train-pass (visa issue) so instead I'll go to two cities. Half the trip in Tokyo and the other half with a friend in Nagoya. Fortunately, I know alot of people in Tokyo, so I should be able to meet quite a few, ideally.

Got part 2 done as well, which is booking a hotel. It's kinda funny because I've stayed in Tokyo 3 times before, and I always stay at the same place ($20 a night for a hotel is markedly hard to beat). So, why break tradition? Besides, I know that part of Tokyo pretty well now. You pay a bit more for your own room instead of sharing one with 5 other people, but.. I think I'll live with the cost this time. With any luck, I'll only be in my hotel at night to sleep anyway, so I just need a bed, a roof, and someplace relatively safe.

So, got my contract in the mail along with all my documents. Got my ticket and reservations. Making appointments with people. Kinda strange, but it really doesn't feel 'real'. I'm looking at my room now, at all my stuff, and I honestly have no clue how I'm going to pack it all up, and send some of it to Japan (the other stuff will be boxed and stored). I know I can't possibly be the first person to do this before, but the logistics of it all certainly are daunting.

I know I've booked several other trips in the past, even down to hotel details, reservations, what-have-you. But it just all feels different this time around. What's really funny, though, is that I've done more with less in the past. I had less resources, less of a budget, less language skills, and less planning. Strange how I worried less than I do now. OR! This could be a "the grass is greener" moment and, while I remember being petrified, I feel that I was more confident.

Then again, sometimes the less we know, the better. You don't know what you don't know.

Anyway, everything's actually pretty decent, just been busy today looking at calendars and preparing my travel plans. It's at least good to have that out of the way. Like usual, I have homework, studying, and reading to do this weekend, and two tests to prepare for coming up next week. Nothing too exciting, in all.

So, until later, off I go!

Oh, assuming you're not a crazy stalker (and I actually know you), if you want to know my travel plans more-indepth (when I leave, where to, etc, etc), just send me an e-mail. I don't know who actually cares about the minutia, so I didn't want to send out e-mails to people 2 months ahead of time with all these little details.
Jason on 04.04.08 @ 09:57 PM MST [link] [comment]